Brassiere



y 13, 1947- J. E. TREADWELL 2,420,575

BRASSIERE Filed April 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Patenterl May 13, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRASSIERE' Jeannette E. Treadwell, San Antonio, Tex.

Application April 3, 1945, Serial No. 586,321

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to brassieres, and important objects of the invention are to provide a garment of this kind that will be comfortable.

to wear; that will remain in proper position to effectively support the breasts without the aid of shoulder straps; and that includes a main or body portion having integral breast-supporting pockets and constructed of wholly plastic material so that the same may be readily and economically manufactured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a brassire of the above kind whose outer surface may be artistically designed or ornamented by etching or the like, and whose inner surface is provided with a series of unconnected shallow recesses or grooves so designed and arranged as to provide a suction effect between the body portion or the brassiere and the body of the wearer to thereby insure clinging of the garment to the wearer so that the garment will not slip downwardly in use and allow the breasts to sag.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description wl-"n considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views: I

Figure 1 is a front perspective view showin the present brassiere as it appears while bein worn.

Figure 2 is a complete front perspective view of the brassiere removed from the wearer and in partially open condition.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view of a modified form of brassiere embodying the present invention, with the ends of the brassire connected to ether.

Figure 6 is a transverse section through an end portion of the brassiere shown in, Figure 5, and taken substantially on the plane of line 6-6 of said Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6, taken on line 1-1 of Figure 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the .present brassiere includes a relatively narrow body encircling band which includes a main or body portion 5 preferably having integral bust-receiving and supporting pockets 6 and suitably formed of wholly plastic material. The band further includes relatively short strips 1 of elastic fabric suitably attached to the ends of the main portion 5 as by stitching 8. In practice, the ends of the main portion 5 may be provided with transverse rows of staggered apertures to facilitate stitching of the strips lthereto, and fastener members 9 and 9a may be carried by the free ends of the strips'l for detachably connecting the same and thereby securing the garment upon the wearer. In practice, the garment is made of such size as to require placing of the strips I under slight tension so that the band will be maintained in snug contact with the body of the wearer.

As shown clearly in Figure 4, the inner surface of the main portion 5 is provided with a series of irregular and unconnected grooves or shallow recesses III that are so formed and arranged throughout the inner surface of the portion 5 as to provlde'a suction effect so that said portion 5 is caused to cling to the body of the wearer and effectively resist any tendency of the garment to slip downwardly from proper position and allow the breasts to sag. These grooves I0 may be provided by embossing the portion 5 and in such form and arrangement as to provide a desired floral or other artistic or ornamental effect, and the outer surface of the portion 5 may be further enhanced to beautify or ornament the same by etching said outer surface as generally indicated at II in Figures 1 and 2. In order to insure maximum comfort, the edges of the pockets 6 merge with the body of the partion 5 alon curved lines, as at l2, and the longitudinal edges of said portion 5 are provided with outwardly directed small rounded beads I3, thereby avoiding any sharp corners that may pinch or otherwise cause discomfort to the wearer. While I have shown, merely by way of example, a brassiere provided with partial pockets to receive the lower portions of the breasts, it will be understood that certain styles and sizes of brassieres may be made in accordance with the present invention in which complete pockets are provided for reception of the entire breasts. A brassiere constructed in accordance with this invention. will gently support the breasts in proper lifted position so as to prevent sagging thereof and avoid any strains incident to improper and insufficient support. At the same time, the brassire will effectively remain in position or against downward slipping without the aid of shoulder straps.

In practice, it is contemplated to manufacture the present brassiere in a certain series of standard styles and sizes. The brassiere may be manufactured in these standard styles and sizes so as to have maximum efllciency and so as to fit with suilicient accuracy as to insure complete satisfaction to the wearer. As an example, the body portion 5 may be molded on a plaster-of-Paris cast taken from a living model requiring the particular standard style and size being manufactured. When the portion 5 is so molded, the pockets 6 may be molded integral therewith in one and the same operation, and the openings for the stitches 8 may be later punched or otherwise provided. Another satisfactory method of manufacture consists of making the portion 5 out of pliable and thin plastic sheet material embossed between heated roller dies. When this is done, the pockets 6 may be separately formed from the body of the portion 5 and later joined thereto by fusion or the like.

The embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 is similar to that of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, except that a plurality of perforations are provided through the portion 5 at regularly spaced intervals throughout the area thereof, as indicated at l4, said openings being provided through the portion 5 at points between the grooves I where said portion contacts the wearer. This enhances the clinging effect of the brassiere and insures desirable ventilation.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and advantages of the present brassiere will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes may be made in details of construction illustrated and described, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. The portion is non-absorbent and promotes sanitation. Also, its surface may be designed to imitate delicate fabric, and it may be tinted or colored to suit individual taste.

What I claim as new is:

1. A brassire including a flexible body-encircling band, said band including a main portion of normal longitudinally curved form and consisting of a relatively narrow elongated strip of thin wholly plastic material provided with permanently shaped breast-receiving and supporting pockets, said main portion being provided in and substantially throughout its inner surface with a plurality of spaced unconnected recesses, each affording a suction cup eflfect which causes the main portion to cling to the body of the wearer and thereby resist lowering of the brassiere, and means to separably connect the ends of said main portion at the back of the wearer so as to secure the band in snug contact with the wearer's body.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said main portion is provided with integral outwardly directed rounded beads along the longitudinal edges thereof.

3. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said main portion is provided substantially throughout its entire area with numerous substantially uniformly spaced transverse ventilating openings, said openings occurring between the recesses where the main portion contacts the wearer.

4. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein the ends of the main portion are provided with transverse rows of apertures, and wherein the means for separably connecting the ends of the main portion includes elastic straps attached to the ends of said main portion by stitching extending through said apertures and provided with cooperating separable fastener members at the free ends thereof. v

JEANNETI'E E. 'I'READWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,079,426 Schottenfels May 4, 1937 2,285,526 Mann June 9, 1942 2,354,916 Hurt Aug. 1, 1944 2,391,417 Hill Dec. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,618 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1937 

